Cover Food spread at Tambi, by chefs Sun Kim and Mano Thevar (Photo: Tambi)
Food spread at Tambi, by chefs Sun Kim and Mano Thevar (Photo: Tambi)
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These casual offshoots of upscale restaurants and famous chefs have earned a reputation of being the hardest tables to book in Singapore
Ask any gourmand today and you might find that a previously voracious appetite for fine dining has waned. In place of protracted degustation menus costing hundreds (sometimes thousands) of dollars, casual and fine-casual restaurants have become more and more popular—especially if they’ve got the reputation of famous restaurants and chefs to burnish their credentials. That’s certainly the case in Singapore, with a growing number of acclaimed chefs behind respected fine dining establishments setting up casual eateries around the island. Don’t know where to eat next? We rounded up some casual offshoots of famous restaurants and chefs—expect nothing but great flavour.
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1. Tambi
Above Food spread at Tambi, by chefs Sun Kim (chef-owner of one-Michelin-starred Meta) and Mano Thevar (chef-owner of two-Michelin-starred Thevar)
Food spread at Tambi, by chefs Sun Kim (chef-owner of one-Michelin-starred Meta) and Mano Thevar (chef-owner of two-Michelin-starred Thevar)
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Ever since Tambi opened its doors in June 2023, it has earned a reputation of being one of the hardest restaurants to book in Singapore. Opened by chefs Sun Kim (chef-owner of one-Michelin-starred Meta) and Mano Thevar (chef-owner of two-Michelin-starred Thevar), this counter dining restaurant boasts an array of mouth-watering Korean-Indian dishes that should—nay, must—be shared. Take the oxtail bone marrow murtabak, an indulgent, hearty treat that’s presented with green papaya kimchi to cut through the fat; or dig into the Wagyu bulgogi, served with a crisp yet fluffy roti with a glorious fried egg in its centre.
2. Brasserie Astoria
Above Whisky-flambéed beef at Brasserie Astoria, the Singapore outpost of celebrity chef Björn Frantzén’s fine-casual brasserie concept
Whisky-flambéed beef at Brasserie Astoria, the Singapore outpost of celebrity chef Björn Frantzén’s fine-casual brasserie concept
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One of the most highly-anticipated openings of 2023 was Brasserie Astoria, the Singapore outpost of celebrity chef Björn Frantzén’s fine-casual brasserie concept in Stockholm. The Parisian brasserie of the 1910s and 1930s is revived right here within the grand halls of the Victoria Concert Hall, with a number of dishes prepared tableside like the steak tartare (à la parisienne, of course), and the whisky flambé beef served in a Kampot and green pepper sauce. For a quick treat, come on Friday and Saturday between 3pm to 6pm for its golden hour menu, where menu items like a smashed burger, fried calamari, and selected cocktails go for S$12.
3. Tilly’s Boy
Above Beer-battered fish and chips at Tilly‘s Boy by Andrew Walsh, chef-owner of one-Michelin-starred Cure
Beer-battered fish and chips at Tilly‘s Boy by Andrew Walsh, chef-owner of one-Michelin-starred Cure
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Chef-owner Andrew Walsh may be known for his elevated takes on Nua Irish cuisine at one-Michelin-starred Cure, but at Tilly’s Boy, he has gotten in touch with the heartier side of Irish fare. Dishes such as scotch eggs, beer-battered fish and chips and Irish soda bread are on offer, as is the class British toad-in-the-hole, where pork sausages are baked into Yorkshire pudding and served with potato mash and onion gravy. But there’s a local touch too; laksa appears in the chicken and prawn dumpling, and so does chilli crab, served with mantou buns. Make sure to come back on Sunday for its signature Sunday roasts, including grand cauliflower, chicken, or beef striploin roasts.
Tilly’s Boy
Address: 31 Keong Saik Road, S(089138), +65 8752 9578
4. Hortus
Above Food spread at Hortus
Food spread at Hortus
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Located within Gardens by the Bay’s Flower Dome is Hortus, chef-owner Michael Wilson’s all-day dining concept near his one-Michelin-starred restaurant, Marguerite. Mediterranean food shines here, encompassing culinary cultures Europe, the Middle East and north Africa; expect pita bread with muhammara (a red capsicum and walnut dip) rubbing shoulders with Italian caponata in the small plates, and whole Corsican sea bass alongside beef and lamb Adana kebabs.
Hortus
Address: 18 Marina Gardens Drive, 01-09 Flower Dome, S(018953), +65 6702 0158
5. Café Natsu
Café Natsu is the brainchild of Lewis Barker, the executive chef behind one-Michelin-starred Sommer. If you enjoy Japanese fare with creative spins this is the right place for you—here, the pork katsu sandos come slathered in dou ban jiang (spicy fermented bean sauce) aioli, and the karaage comes seasoned with dong bei spices. Dishes such as the wafu fregola pasta, served with Japanese mushrooms, black fungus and tobiko, are great brunch plates; for those with a sweet tooth, the mochi doughnuts, served with salted Hokkaido milk ice cream, hits the spot.
Café Natsu
Address: 283 Joo Chiat Road, S(427537), +65 9827 7860
6. Dew by Whitegrass
Above Saku kasu, or sake lees ice cream
Saku kasu, or sake lees ice cream
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From one-Michelin-starred French-Japanese restaurant Whitegrass comes Dew by Whitegrass, located right next to its parent restaurant at Chijmes. Tuck into nosh built on European foundations with Asian twists, such as the yuzu kosho seaweed tagliatelle with salmon or the roasted A4 Omi Wagyu ribeye served with mushrooms and wasabi for a kick. If you’re there for a quick bite, the potato frites with anchovy butter is dangerously addictive, but for something sweet, go for the sake lees ice cream. It’s tart with an unexpected fermented taste that’s surprisingly all the more refreshing, topped with cacao crumbles.
Dew by Whitegrass
Address: 30 Victoria Street, 01-27A, S(187996), +65 9067 3891
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About
Ethan is a dining writer with Tatler Singapore. Trained in literary arts and filmmaking, their work has previously been published in Esquire Singapore, Men's Folio, and with the Asian Film Archive and the Singapore International and Film Festival, across a wide range of interests from gastronomy to fashion and arts criticism.
Work
Ethan writes about exciting news in the F&B industry, specialising in fine dining, exclusive spirits launches, and new restaurants. They are always looking for riveting voices to bring something fresh to an already-dynamic industry.
Follow them on Instagram at @faustiangourmand.
